“We measured the participants’ blood vitamin D levels and also analyzed parameters indicating MetS. We found that the lower the level of blood vitamin D, the greater the occurrence of MetS. The results suggest that supplementing and maintaining adequate levels of vitamin D in postmenopausal women can reduce the risk of disease,” said Eliana Aguiar Petri Nahas, a professor in FMB-UNESP’s Department of Gynecology & Obstetrics and one of the authors of the study.

Data from previous studies has shown that there are several factors that can explain the effect of vitamin D on the various conditions of metabolic syndrome.

According to the researchers, the most obvious explanation for this association is that vitamin D impacts the secretion of insulin and sensitivity. Both of these play a huge role in metabolic syndrome.

“The vitamin D receptor is expressed in insulin-secreting pancreatic beta cells and in peripheral target tissues such as skeletal muscle and adipose tissue. Vitamin D deficiency can compromise the capacity of beta cells to convert pro-insulin to insulin,” wrote the researchers of the FAPESP-funded project.

According to the researchers, however, more studies are needed to confirm the link. “The objective of the study was to evaluate the association between vitamin D deficiency and risk factors for MetS in postmenopausal women,” they write in the article.